Strawberry cultivars were developed via traditional breeding techniques by Rutgers professor emeritus Dr. Gojko Jelenkovic. For over 35 years, Dr. Jelenkovic worked on improving strawberry yield, resistance to diseases, and, most importantly, fruit quality and flavor. This work was followed by extensive testing of strawberry selections by Agricultural Agents Bill Hlubik and Peter Nitzsche in field trials at NJAES, observational trials at conventional and organic farms, and flavor evaluations by consumer taste panels. The mission of the strawberry breeding program is to increase production efficiency and protect fruit crops against environmental and biological hazards, while decreasing production costs and pesticide use. Rutgers-bred strawberries are designed to be well-suited for New Jersey’s variable climate and are becoming a popular crop for local farms.

Strawberry trials are conducted at several Rutgers locations, including on-campus greenhouse facilities and off-campus research and extension centers. In 2014, new Rutgers strawberry cultivars were submitted for patent protection. As a result, the cultivar Rutgers Scarlet™ was released. This new cultivar has the potential to increase strawberry production of Eastern U.S. growers, especially of local farms with direct markets. Consumers will benefit from the availability of high quality fruit.

Strawberry Availability

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Sources

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

Better Tasting Strawberry Developed at Rutgers Makes Its Debut

Licensing and Technology: Agricultural Products

Jersey Fresh